Normally I don’t talk about my day job. It’s ironic that the work I do publicly tends to be something I try to keep private. I’ve worked at the same company for a little more than 12 years. That stability has been wonderful. I was grateful to get this job back in March 2010. I talked about the funny way my interview for it went in my article “I Hated Avatar, But Here’s Why I’m Going to Watch Avatar 2.”

The reason I don’t like to talk about my job is because I don’t want to come across as bragging. But something happened on April 14, 2022 that deeply affected me and my coworkers. And I’d like talk about it.

Leadup to the Big Day

A lot of changes have been happening at my job in the past two years. In March 2020, my coworkers and I were forced to work from home. It was quite a transition. I’ve long joked that whenever I take vacation time, something bad happens. In this case, I was just starting a one-week vacation when that work-from-home policy started. It was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, of course.

That was the last time I saw some of my coworkers. The head of my department was replaced suddenly in January 2021 with a new one. He had been at the company longer than me, so his departure was quite a shock. The new head brought many new faces with him, which changed the dynamic of the department. It wasn’t bad, but it was different. And it made me sad that things would never be the same again.

Over the next year, more and more of my coworkers quit or otherwise left the company. In January 2022, the new department head left suddenly. I’m not sure if he was let go or quit. Other people continued leaving, too. Old friends.

I just kept working at my usual pace of nonstop. There were quite a few things changing in the company, but those changes didn’t affect me much. I was kind of ignored. That left me free to do lots of writing, so I was content. Until April 14, 2022.

I was called into a meeting that morning and told that almost my entire department was gone. Nine people were let go in a day. I was one of just two who were kept, but they didn’t want me to continue in my job as a copywriter. Instead, I was to become a technical writer and join a different department. It was too much of a shock to take in all at once. I felt dazed for the next week.

The Irony

The reason I came to my current company in the first place was because I had been fired from my previous company in a mass layoff. They were in dire financial straits, so they let go of half their workforce in a single day. I wasn’t even there for the announcement because I was at the hospital with my wife and our newborn son. He was born just two days prior. I took a part-time job with my current employer, and I managed to go fulltime within a few months. It’s amazing I did that because they were technically in a hiring freeze when I joined. But the heads of my department fought for me, and I owe a lot to them.

This time, I’m on the other side of the equation. I somehow got to stay while so many other good people are gone. I really hope they’ll all be able to find great jobs. Graphic designers, social media specialists, and video production managers are in demand, so I trust they will. Also, many workers are no longer limited in where they can work by geography. Work from home or the office; it’s all the same.

Why Me?

My employer really wanted to keep me. Even while others didn’t make it. Why me? I’ve come up with a few reasons:

• I’ve worked hard to learn about the software we sell. Thus, I’m useful, and my level of knowledge isn’t easily replicated by a new hire.
• I’m a workhorse. There are few things I love more than writing. The fact that I get paid to do it is a dream come true. And I consistently put out amazing work, if I do say so myself. At least I always aim for excellence.
• I’ve developed many friendships. It has always been a goal of mine to be a friend, and I’ve come to a point where being humble and kind is almost second nature. I think that attitude has saved me numerous times.
• I always pay my tithing. When my wife and I were losing money each month after the birth of our first child, we still paid tithing on what little we earned. And we have been richly blessed as a result. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” I have found that promise to be true.

A Big Change

I don’t think I’m better than any of my coworkers who were let go. Nor do I ascribe what happened to pure chance or luck. The biggest secret to my success has been showing gratitude to God for giving me so much. I’m grateful to have my job and everything else I’ve been blessed with in my life. God loves it when we thank Him and give Him credit for the blessings He gives us.

This has been a big change for me. It feels like a completely new job. Because, well, it is. Technical writing is much different than blog posts and marketing copy. However, it’s not the first time I’ve done that type of writing. So I trust that everything will be okay. I give all the credit to God for my perseverance and success. He inspired me to improve my work ethic and personality to the point that people want to keep me around.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

Want to Support the Deja Reviewer?

If you’d like to support the Deja Reviewer, please consider donating a few dollars to keep this site going strong. I’ll even send you an original joke if you do! Try it, and prepare to enjoy a good chuckle.

$5.00